Ghanaians have plenty to be proud of. Their country was home to West Africa’s mightiest, gold-dripping empire; it was the first to drop colonialism and go it alone; it built the biggest artificial lake in the world; and it produces some of Africa’s best highlife music and most famous sculpture. Yet you won’t find a more chilled- out and friendly people. So if you want to sample West Africa’s modern and ancient cultures, explore its historic slave forts, toast yourself on its beautiful beaches-and do it all speaking English-it’s got to be Ghana.

October to March, when the weather is cooler and dryer

Browsing Accra’s Makola (batik and beads) and Kaneshie (food and spices) markets Steeping yourself in Ashanti and history at the National Cultural Centre in Kumasi Strolling through Accra’s peaceful Aburi Botanical Gardens Spending the night in an old fort or castle on the Atlantic coast Lazing on the long white sandy beach at Busua Hiking and wildlife watching at Kakum National park

Read Asante: The Making of a Nation by Nana Otamakuro Adubofour provides an insight into Ashanti history and culture

Listen to Electric Highlife, a taste of highlife that will really get you moving; Master Drummer from Ghana by Mustapha Tettey Addy, one of West Africa’s greatest drumming performers

Watch Heritage Africa by the celebrated Ghanaian director Kwaw P Ansah-an exploration of the effects of colonialism in Ghana

Eat groundnut stew; omo tuo-mashed rice balls served with fish or meat soup; kyemgbuma-crabs with potatoes, meat and cassava dough; ntomo krakro-fried sweet potato cakes, a popular street food

Drink askenkee-a cool, milk-white non-alchoholic drink made from corn

Hani wodzo (let’s dance)

Beautiful beaches; vibrant city nightlife; fishing villages; ruins of the slave trade; elephants and antelope; highlife music; ancient forts and castles

lt’s possible to meet the current Ashanti king at Manhyia Palace in Kumasi-inquire politely and bring a gift

Ghanaians like to have fun. Accra and Kumasi on Saturday night are jumping. Ghana is, after all, the place where highlife music got its start. Ghanaian highlife was the most popular music in the region in the 1970s and still pick up recordings by ET Mensah, Nana Ampadu and The Sweet Talks. Highlife is still very big and there’s a wide range of artists to choose from.